The region’s police boss has called on GMP to let a watchdog investigate allegations that a man was ‘brutally assaulted’ by officers in a cell.

As reported in the M.E.N., Neville Edwards, 31, who was later found guilty of biting an officer during the incident at Longsight police station, says he was elbowed and kneed by officers as they restrained him. He insists the force used was unjustified.

Footage of Mr Edwards being restrained in the cell was shown to a jury at Manchester Crown Court, and he has now posted it on his own Facebook page. One officer elbows him more than a dozen times in the back as he lies on the floor. Mr Edwards, who has mental health issues is later stripped naked by the officers.

He says he had been arrested for allegedly being drunk and disorderly in Princess Road, Whalley Range, near his home last July. He denies he had been drinking and says he had only taken prescription drugs.

Responding to the M.E.N., story, Greater Manchester’s Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd said: “It is clear this footage will cause legitimate concern to the public and GMP need to provide reassurance that policing in Greater Manchester is carried out to the highest standards.

“There is a strong public interest in getting to the bottom of what exactly happened here. GMP have told me there are mitigating circumstances, and clearly the individual has been convicted by a jury of biting one of the police officers during this incident.

“However, it is in the interests of all those concerned that it is investigated fully, quickly and independently and I will therefore request that the Chief Constable refers this matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.”

WATCH: Neville Edwards talk about police brutality

Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said: “Greater Manchester Police is aware of an edited version of a video that has been circulated in some media and on social media showing a prisoner being restrained by officers in a prison cell.

“This video in full was provided as evidence in the recent court case of a man charged with assaulting a police officer as they tried to deal with him in custody. Following an attempt to create a ligature around his neck with items of clothing, officers were required to use force to restrain the individual and remove his clothing for his own safety.

“During this incident, a police officer was seriously bitten for a sustained period of time, leaving him with scars and permanent damage to his arm, and requiring blood tests over a number of months.

“The man was convicted in court of actual bodily harm for this assault on the police officer on 14 January 2016 following a trial, and is due to be sentenced on 10 March 2016.

Tony Lloyd

“In custody there are occasions where police officers have to use force to keep the detainee, the officers themselves, and also other detainees, safe. All of our officers are trained in the use of restraint techniques, some of which I accept may appear quite shocking when viewed out of context by members of the public.

“Greater Manchester Police has not received any complaints about excessive use of force in relation to this incident or any breaches of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

“However, we are reviewing the circumstances surrounding this incident to ensure that the actions of all the officers involved meet the required standards to justify the force used on this occasion. Officers from GMP are also seeking to meet with the man to consider his complaints made via the media.”

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Protesters in King’s Lynn fight against mental health service cuts

Protesters took to the streets of King’s Lynn to voice their anger at what they described as “continuous” cutbacks to mental health services in west Norfolk.

Mental health cuts protest

A protest march against cuts to mental health services and the Fermoy Unit at the QEH took place in King's Lynn town centre. Picture: Matthew Usher.

More than 100 campaigners marched from The Walks through the town centre before finishing outside the Majestic Cinema.

Peter Smith, former parliamentary candidate for south-west Norfolk said: “We are in the fight of our lives here.”

The protest was triggered by the Fermoy Unit, an in-patient NHS facility in Lynn for mental health, which campaigners say faces an uncertain future. The unit was briefly closed to new admissions earlier this month, but reopened last week, albeit with fewer beds.

Mr Smith said: “In my lifetime we have never had to fight like this, but what is the alternative?”

But Debbie White, director of operations for Norfolk at the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, said there were now no plans to axe the Fermoy Unit.

She added: “It is right that mental health services should be valued and funded on the same level as acute health services, and it is understandable people feel passionate about the Fermoy Unit remaining open.”

Labour party activist Jo Rust insisted the issue would not disappear. She said: “They have been talking about closing it for a long time. We will fight and we will not let them do that.”

Beth Anthony, 18 of Dersingham, said: “We are here to protest against the continuous cuts to the mental health service, we think it’s unacceptable. My younger brother suffers from poor mental health and has to travel to London... That is to the detriment of my family because we have to pay for him to go down by train every single month.”